Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1887-06-24
4 BACHELORS REWARD.
BY GEORGE TRACE.

this evening the memories OF tne
past came fiocking upon him like
ghosts from another land.
John Steele was a bachelor Of
forty. he had been born and rear.
ed a poor boy, in the little town Of
A., and had never felt de-
sire to leave it. He had studied
law and plodded along year after
year in the dingy, grimy Office, IN
which we find him now, and had
grown rich. BE had no personal
friends, and lived alone in large,
old frame house at the outskirts OF
the town, with man servant as
cook and general man-of-all-wOrk.
Years after years before, when a
young man of twenty, poor and
aimless, Steele had loved a girl
whose parents would not let her
marry him because he was so worth
less. In his rage he blamed her
for this and would listen to no
reason, and from that day had
hated women and had led a soil
tary life. 1t was this scene that
now held John Steele in his Office
chair, as the mantle of night gath
cred over the town.
"More than twenty years ago.
be unused, sand 1 don't believe l
have ever spoken to a woman, ex-
cept on business, since that day
They say she married a no.accOunt
wretch after all, who has sunk
down to poverty and want. Well,
well, / must not waste time think
ing about such things now. I was
only boy then, and did not know
what wanted. / must be going.'
Pherenpon he arose, buttoned his
soat about him, locked his Office
and trudged on his homeward
journey.
Rumor had il about town that,
although By her parents influence,
Katie Drew had married shortly
after her refusal OF Steele, that she
had loved him dearly. This was
most likely true, but as twenty
years had past, the matter had
faded from the general mind to give
way to more lively gossip.
Steele ate his supper in silence.
William, his msn-of-all-wcrk had a
very good meal prepared ; for,
though Steele was close-fsted he
believed in good eating, good
clothes and comfortable living.
"Now, William said Steele,
when he had finished, 'if you fix
me up enough food to do me TO-
morrow, you may have a holiday.
And here is your money and FIVE
dollars to have a time with. No
holiday for me; 1 don't need any
and don't want any,
THANK you, Mr.. Steele, for your
goodness" said William. "But,
Mr.. Steele, don't you never take
any little extra pleasure at all =
You know used to know you
when you was a little fellow; and
can remember seeing your good
mother holding you up at the old
church so You could see the Christ
mas tree. And you was wee lit
tie tad then, and you clapped your
little hands in glee and your moth
or would kiss your baby face and
talk baby talk to you. It don't
seem like that was near forty years
ago, Mr.. Steele, but il was"
"Confound the fellow" grumbled
Steele, as he sat down in his room
that night to read. eff l should
listen to him be woulC upset me-
/ don't know what is the matter
with me this evening anyhow. l
never ielt 80 queer in my life. |
guess / am using too much tobac-
co Of late.7
He read until bedtime, and was
in the act of taking of his boots,
when be heard a knock at the front
door.
"wonder who that's" he thought.
"Something unusual at this place"
he listened q moment and there
came another knock.
"What the deuce can that Will
liam be doing that he don't 60 to
the door % said Steele. al want TO
20 TO bed, and it may be some one
that wants me. To borrow money,
/ guess. Well, unless they have
good security, not cent do they
get"
At this junctnre, William opened
the door. Steele heard an indis-
tinct conversation and then VIII
liam conducted the visitor TO the
kitchen. After some moments Will
liam came walking into the room.
"Well, what is it p
Excuse me, Mr.. Steele, but there
is a poor woman in the kitchen who
needs some help badly. Pm sure
she does, for she don't look as a
common beggar. She says she has
walked through the cold all the way
from tie last town, and is most
dead
ayes, that is what they all say.
Give her something 70 eat and send
her o."
"But I wish you would come and
see her"
"Botner these beggars," mum
6led Steele. "But ! guess Pll 60
Z